Happy May Day! I know it’s not such a big deal in many countries, but in Finland it’s HUGE. So what better day to launch a new book? Especially when everyone is stuck at home.

From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi is officially published today! You can order it from your local bookseller (use the isbn: hardback: 978-952-7157-54-1 paperback: 978-952-7157-55-8), if you prefer ebooks you can get it direct from me here, or if your best option is the world’s longest river, you can get it there too. Amazon US, Amazon UK.

I guess the question is why would you want to? Well, the book is an in-depth look at my interpretation of Fiore’s longsword material, on foot out of armour. It includes a transcription and translation of all of the longsword plays, with extensive digressions into the other sections. And most critically, every play is illustrated with a video clip (there are links in the text that you can click on in the ebooks, or type into a browser in the printed book). This is an innovative way to produce a critical study of a martial arts text, and I’m looking forward to finding out what you think of it.

If you have already read it, I’d very much appreciate a review! It’s currently languishing in algorithm hell, reviewless. Tell the world what you think of it!

The official blurb:

In the late 14th century Fiore dei Liberi, an Italian knightly combat master, wrote a magnificent treatise on the Art of Arms. He called his book Il Fior di Battaglia, the Flower of Battle, and it is one of the greatest martial arts books of all time, describing how to fight on foot and on horseback, in armour and without, with sword, spear, pollax, dagger, or with no weapon at all. Guy Windsor has spent the last 20 years studying Fiore's work and creating a modern practice of historical swordsmanship from it. In this book, Guy takes you through all of Fiore's longsword techniques on foot out of armour. Each technique (or “play”) is shown with the drawing from the treatise, Guy's transcription and translation of the text, his commentary on how it fits into the system and works in practice, and a link to a video of the technique as Guy interprets it. The book contains a detailed introduction describing Fiore's life and times, and extensive discussion of the contexts in which Fiore's art belongs.

This is essential reading for any scholar of the Art of Arms, and will also provide fascinating insight to all martial artists and historians of the medieval and early Renaissance eras.

So, if that sounds like your sort of thing, order it from your local bookseller (use the isbn: hardback: 978-952-7157-54-1 paperback: 978-952-7157-55-8), or get the ebook direct from me here, or even Amazon US, Amazon UK.

P.S. I made a mistake in the Gumroad settings, and quite a few direct buyers ended up paying for shipping on the ebook. I've now fixed that, and contacted the buyers regarding refunding the shipping costs. If you were one of them and you didn't get an email from me, please check your spam folder, and drop me a line!